Smoky Tourmalinated Quartz Point
Measures Approximately: 2 1/4" x 2" x 1 1/2"
Weighs Approximately: 4 oz
Nice piece, great for putting on a desk near a computer.
Smoky quartz is a brown to black variety of quartz. According to current theories exposure to natural underground radiation causes trace amounts of trivalent aluminum (Al3+) to replace some of its silicon. This change in its crystal structure creates its color. The name has changed slightly over time. Many historical sources called it “smoked quartz” instead, after its resemblance to smoke cured foods. Since natural irradiated color develops slowly below certain temperatures, smoky quartz tends to be found in specific environments like higher elevations where it had time to slowly darken.
Tourmaline is a group of boron silicate minerals that have a shared physical structure, but whose chemistry can be quite different depending on the type. It is one of the most colorful minerals, but "shorl", or black tourmaline, is one of the most common and popular varieties. Pink, green, and a combination of the two, or watermelon tourmaline, are also very popular.
